Talley ho! Nuts win at Great Lakes again

MIDLAND, Mich. - LJ Talley cleared the bases with a three-run tie-breaking double in the top of the eighth inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (6-7, 38-44) continued their winning ways at Dow Diamond, topping the host Great Lakes Loons (6-7, 49-31), 6-4, in the second game of a four-game home-and-home series on Wednesday night.

The Lugnuts improved to 4-1 on the home field of the Great Lakes Loons, defeating the Loons for the fifth time in the last six meetings.

Talley, the Blue Jays' seventh-round selection in June from the University of Georgia, had only two hits in his last 21 at-bats before driving home Ryan Gold , Johnny Aiello and DJ Neal with a line drive to right-center off Loons reliever Zach Willeman (Loss, 0-2).

The blow gave the Lugnuts their first lead of the game, after the Nuts had previously rallied from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits with solo tallies in the second and third inning and a Gold sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Lansing starter Fitz Stadler went four innings in a no-decision, allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out three.

Marcus Reyes (Win, 5-1) tossed three scoreless innings in relief, striking out two while scattering three hits and one walk, to keep the Lugnuts in the game.

Justin Watts pitched the eighth and ninth innings, allowing an unearned run on one hit and striking out three, for his first save.

The series now shifts to Cooley Law School Stadium for an Independence Day 6:35 p.m. start, featuring Lugnuts right-hander Troy Miller (4.93 ERA) taking on Loons right-hander Jose Martinez (3.47) with a LAFCU Fireworks Spectacular following the game. To live the Lug Life and purchase tickets, visit lansinglugnuts.com, call (517) 485-4500 or come to the Cooley Law School Stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing.
# # #